SWINDON earned a share of the spoils at Victoria Park thanks to Jon-Paul McGovern's exquisite first half chip.

Hartlepool came on strong in the second half and levelled through substitute Joel Porter just after the hour mark.

Sofiene Zaabooub could have won it for Town late on but somehow shot wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

Jerel Ifil survived a strong penalty shout in second half stoppage time when he appeared to trip James Brown in the box.

Hartlepool fashioned the first shooting chance after three minutes, Jamie McCunie crossing for former Town winger Andy Monkhouse who headed straight at Phil Smith.

Thirty seconds later Simon Cox found space for the visitors on the edge of the 18-yard box but drilled wide of the left upright.

Town suffered a massive blow when skipper Hasney Aljofree had to be stretchered off after just six minutes following a seemingly innocuous challenge, to be replaced by Chris Blackburn.

Monkhouse then hit a tame shot from distance straight at Smith, before Town created a great opening on the break.

Zaaboub crossed for Cox whose neat touch allowed Paynter a strike at goal. Jan Budtz blocked bravely and then made a superb save from Cox on the rebound to keep the Robins at bay.

Monkhouse was looking threatening down the left and his pull-back picked out Ian Moore, but former Notts Forest striker shot straight at Smith.

Town came close again when McGovern found space on the right and his centre picked out Paynter, who saw his shot blocked.

At the other end Monkhouse tried his luck from range but his deflected strike looped easily for Smith to gather.

In a breathless encounter, Cox was superbly tackled by Godwin Antwi as he prepared to pull the trigger and then Monkhouse dragged a shot wide the edge of the penalty box.

After an intense spell of pressure from Hartlepool, Town stunned their hosts on the break. Paynter beat the offside trap from Vincent's pass and held the ball up for McGovern, who took one touch and beat Budtz with an exquisite left-foot chip from the edge of the box.

Smith kept Town ahead after 35 minutes with a superb reaction save from Michael Nelson's towering header after an outswinging corner from Pools full-back Robbie Elliott.

Hartlepool could have levelled six minutes before the break when winger James Brown rolled a pass into the path of the advancing Moore, who shanked his shot high and wide into the stand.

Town almost grabbed a second in first half stoppage time, but Zaaboub's knock down just wouldn't run for Cox.

McGovern then whipped in a cross for Paynter who glanced his header tamely wide.

Pools boss Danny Wilson made two changes at half-time, as Joel Porter replaced Moore up front and Ali Gibb came on for Elliott.

It was Gibb who created the first chance of the second period, when his cross from the right wing was glanced wide by the marauding Brown.

Humphreys' smashed a free-kick from 35 yards but Lee Peacock was in the right place to clear for Swindon and keep their lead intact.

As Town came under the cosh, Smith did well to gather from Humphreys' deep inswinging corner.

Swindon's first effort of the half came courtesy of Zaaboub, but the winger was leaning back and his left-foot shot sailed high into the stand.

Porter's incisive break down the left caused panic in the Town box after 64 minutes, but Jamie Vincent came across to nip the ball off Barker's toes and hack it behind for a corner.

Town could do nothing to deny Porter four minutes later however. The striker drifted in from the right flank and opened up his body before drilling a low left-foot shot beyond Smith and into the bottom corner.

Brown had a chance to put Pools ahead almost immediately from the restart, but his miscued effort bounced kindly for Smith in the Town goal.

Christian Roberts replaced Simon Cox with just under half an hour to play as Sturrock looked to protect his point with a five man midfield.

The Welshman combined with McGovern to create a chance for Paynter, but his shot was easily caught by Budtz.

Jerel Ifil then blocked brilliantly from Brown, who looked destined to score from eight yards.

Town hit Pools with a quick counter as Roberts failed to convert from a tight angle after Zaaboub's slide-rule pass.

Monkhouse went close with a header from a Humphreys free-kick, but his effort took a slight defelction and rolled behind for a corner.

Zaaboub squandered a gilt-edged chance for Town with five minutes to play. A long clearance from Ifil found Roberts, who turned and ran at the Pools defence before laying the ball off to Zaaboub. He skinned Gary Liddle but tried to work the ball back onto his left foot and somehow shot wide from six yards.

Roberts' corner from the left then found Blackburn unmarked six yards out, but his header was clawed away from beneath the crossbar by Budtz.

Barker headed over from Brown's cross as the game entered stoppage time, and then Ifil survived a penalty scare when he seemingly upended Brown with a desperate sliding tackle.

Town: Phil Smith, Miguel Comminges, Jerel Ifil, Hasney Aljofree (Chris Blackburn 6), Jamie Vincent, Jon-Paul McGovern (Michael Pook 86), Craig Easton, Lee Peacock, Sofiene Zaaboub, Billy Paynter, Simon Cox (Christian Roberts 73) Subs not used: Kaid Mohamed, Blair Sturrock.

Hartlepool: Jan Budtz, Jamie McCunnie, Michael Nelson (Ben Clark 63), Godwin Antwi, Robbie Elliott (Ali Gibb 45), Andy Monkhouse, Gary Liddle, Ritchie Humphreys, James Brown, Richard Barker, Ian Moore (Joel Porter 45). Subs not used: David Foley, Arran-Lee Barrett.